Optoelectronic assembly and method for detecting an electrical short circuit

Abstract

In various embodiments, an optoelectronic assembly may include at least one organic light emitting diode including a first light emitting diode element and a second light emitting diode element, and an electronic circuit. The first light emitting diode element and the second light emitting diode element are electrically connected in parallel and are deposited monolithically on a common substrate, and the electronic circuit is designed to compare an electric current through the first light emitting diode element that flows during operation with an electric current through the second light emitting diode element that flows during operation and, depending on the comparison, to detect a short circuit of the first light emitting diode element or of the second light emitting diode element and to initiate an electrical switching off of one of the light emitting diode elements and/or of the assembly.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optoelectronic assembly comprising at least one organic light emitting diode comprising a first light emitting diode element and a second light emitting diode element, and an electronic circuit, wherein
 the first light emitting diode element and the second light emitting diode element are electrically connected in parallel and are deposited monolithically on a common substrate, and 
 the electronic circuit is designed to compare an electric current through the first light emitting diode element that flows during operation with an electric current through the second light emitting diode element that flows during operation and, depending on the comparison, to detect a short circuit of the first light emitting diode element or of the second light emitting diode element and to initiate an electrical switching off of one of the light emitting diode elements and/or of the assembly, 
 the electronic circuit comprises a summation current transformer, a coil, a first electrical line of the first light emitting diode element and a second electrical line of the second light emitting diode element, 
 the coil is wound around the summation current transformer, 
 the first electrical line and the second electrical line are led through the summation current transformer, and 
 a current flow of the first electrical line and a current flow of the second electrical line are in opposite directions. 
 
     
     
       2. The optoelectronic assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit is designed to detect the short circuit in the case of a difference magnitude of the currents to be compared which exceeds a predefined difference magnitude. 
     
     
       3. The optoelectronic assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting diode element and the second light emitting diode element are arranged in a manner stacked one above another or laterally alongside one another. 
     
     
       4. A method for detecting a short circuit of a first light emitting diode element or of a second light emitting diode element of an organic light emitting diode, wherein
 the first light emitting diode element and the second light emitting diode element are operated electrically in parallel and are deposited monolithically on a common substrate, 
 an electric current through a first electrical line of the first light emitting diode element that flows during operation is compared with an electric current through a second electrical line of the second light emitting diode element that flows during operation by means of an electronic circuit comprising a summation current transformer, a coil, the first electrical line of the first light emitting diode element and the second electrical line of the second light emitting diode element, wherein the coil is wound around the summation current transformer, wherein the first electrical line and the second electrical line are led through the summation current transformer, and wherein the current flow of the first electrical line and a current flow of the second electrical line are in opposite directions, and 
 the short circuit is detected and an electrical switching off of one of the light emitting diode elements and/or of the assembly is initiated depending on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the short circuit is detected in the case where a difference magnitude of the compared currents exceeds a predefined difference magnitude.